As far as a whole band playing together, I always thought PFM's live version of "Celebration" on "Cook" was pretty fast. Also I know we're only supposed to list live recordings, but PFM's "Out on the Roundabout" from "Chocolate Kings" does this incredible speed-up section where they end up just flying.

The 2 fastest live prog guitar parts I know of both come from Mr Fripp. The 1st isn't a solo, but the flatpicking quiet middle section of "Fracture" on "Starless and Bible Black" (which of course was a studio album but "Fracture" came from a live recording). I saw Fripp play this at close range during his 1979 Frippertronics tour at a Tower Records...you could tell the guitarists in the audience, their jaws were on the floor. The 2nd fastest guitar part was Fripp's "Satori in Tangier" solo from the 1984 "Live in Japan" video.

cstack3: Having seen both live, there is no question in my mind that, as fast as Petrucci is, McLaughlin is faster. (And he can DEFINITELY play CHORDS faster!) BTW, when asked by an interviewer how fast he played, Zappa once said, "For every 8 notes you THINK I've played, I've played 16." LOL.

cstack3: Having seen both live, there is no question in my mind that, as fast as Petrucci is, McLaughlin is faster. (And he can DEFINITELY play CHORDS faster!) BTW, when asked by an interviewer how fast he played, Zappa once said, "For every 8 notes you THINK I've played, I've played 16." LOL.

cstack3: Having seen both live, there is no question in my mind that, as fast as Petrucci is, McLaughlin is faster. (And he can DEFINITELY play CHORDS faster!) BTW, when asked by an interviewer how fast he played, Zappa once said, "For every 8 notes you THINK I've played, I've played 16." LOL.

I've seen all of 'em live, as well as Al Dimeola, Holdsworth, etc. They can all burn! Frank Gambale is another one!

You are right that John McLaughlin invented burning fretboards, check this out:

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